skinful Posted September 19, 2013 Report Share Posted September 19, 2013 I've started to prepare for the Jan/Feb MCAT and decided to start with my weakest subject, Physics, to get it out of the way. Bad move. AWFUL move. Physics and I have just never clicked. We're like Bieber and Drake. Yes, that bad. So, studying Physics off of EK is out of the question (Bio/Chem/Verbal should be fine as I'm comfortable with those)... Does anyone have any suggestions for someone who is terribly hopeless at Physics but is very willing to put in the effort to do well in it for the MCAT? TT_TT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intrepid86 Posted September 19, 2013 Report Share Posted September 19, 2013 I've started to prepare for the Jan/Feb MCAT and decided to start with my weakest subject, Physics, to get it out of the way. Bad move. AWFUL move. Physics and I have just never clicked. We're like Bieber and Drake. Yes, that bad. So, studying Physics off of EK is out of the question (Bio/Chem/Verbal should be fine as I'm comfortable with those)... Does anyone have any suggestions for someone who is terribly hopeless at Physics but is very willing to put in the effort to do well in it for the MCAT? TT_TT The good news is that you've got a lot of time. How did you do in your undergrad Physics course? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinful Posted September 19, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2013 I took Physics pass/fail as a summer course after first year (which was ages ago). So, I never really got a grade, just a [P]. I got at least 65% I guess, but honestly I also didn't try that hard BECAUSE it was only P/F + a summer course. But yeah, I'm glad I started early as I have plenty of time to catch up! Any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prof.A.DumbleDore Posted September 19, 2013 Report Share Posted September 19, 2013 I've started to prepare for the Jan/Feb MCAT and decided to start with my weakest subject, Physics, to get it out of the way. Bad move. AWFUL move. Physics and I have just never clicked. We're like Bieber and Drake. Yes, that bad. So, studying Physics off of EK is out of the question (Bio/Chem/Verbal should be fine as I'm comfortable with those)... Does anyone have any suggestions for someone who is terribly hopeless at Physics but is very willing to put in the effort to do well in it for the MCAT? TT_TT You have to be a Belieber and start from the bottom, in a few months you will be there. If you got some funds, look into TBR review for Physical Sciences for G Chem + Physics. Khan Academy and Chad's videos will help too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futurepediatric Posted September 19, 2013 Report Share Posted September 19, 2013 I recommend Berkeley Review + Chad's videos x a million. You have to pay for Chad's videos but trust me it's worth it - I know there's a lot of free videos out there and that made me hesitant about subscribing to his videos but I'm happ I ended up getting them b/c they're amazing (with orgo and gen chem too btw) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viseguy Posted September 19, 2013 Report Share Posted September 19, 2013 I think the best way to learn physics is hard way - from BR or the textbook. I looked at EK for the topics and studied straight out of a reputable physics text. In the end there wasn't a single physics problem that I couldn't do on the MCAT. It takes a lot of work but provides a level of understanding and insight that the prep books I own (EK and TPR) simply do not provide. Remember that learning physics is mostly working out the problems in the text, and learning from your mistakes. This approach isn't for everyone, particularly if you're short on time. Alternatively you can read something brief like TPR and start doing a ton of practice passages. The EK physics book is insufficient to learn physics on its own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goku Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 I think the best way to learn physics is hard way - from BR or the textbook. I looked at EK for the topics and studied straight out of a reputable physics text. In the end there wasn't a single physics problem that I couldn't do on the MCAT. It takes a lot of work but provides a level of understanding and insight that the prep books I own (EK and TPR) simply do not provide. Remember that learning physics is mostly working out the problems in the text, and learning from your mistakes. This approach isn't for everyone, particularly if you're short on time. Alternatively you can read something brief like TPR and start doing a ton of practice passages. The EK physics book is insufficient to learn physics on its own. I actually did not take a physics course in university, only high school. I used only EK and mastered MCAT physics. So it is possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nito Posted October 1, 2013 Report Share Posted October 1, 2013 I had zero physics background. Not even highschool. I started with a textbook called College Physics and took the Princeton Review physics course. It took some work but eventually I was consistently getting 11-12s on aamc prac tests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruciex Posted October 2, 2013 Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 I had zero physics background. Not even highschool. I started with a textbook called College Physics and took the Princeton Review physics course. It took some work but eventually I was consistently getting 11-12s on aamc prac tests. So would it be safe to assume that one university physics course (plus high school physics background) along with a prep course should be adequate for the material? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intrepid86 Posted October 2, 2013 Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 So would it be safe to assume that one university physics course (plus high school physics background) along with a prep course should be adequate for the material? That's more than enough. The MCAT only tests basic science. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nito Posted October 2, 2013 Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 So would it be safe to assume that one university physics course (plus high school physics background) along with a prep course should be adequate for the material? Your background combined with the prep course will definitely give you a strong enough physics background to tackle mcat PS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruciex Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 Your background combined with the prep course will definitely give you a strong enough physics background to tackle mcat PS. So are you saying it would be sufficient enough to have high school physics alone plus the mcat prep course? If I don't have to take physics yet I won't, I'd rather do my mcat earlier. Doing physics before it would require a month in sprig semester. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nito Posted October 9, 2013 Report Share Posted October 9, 2013 So are you saying it would be sufficient enough to have high school physics alone plus the mcat prep course? If I don't have to take physics yet I won't, I'd rather do my mcat earlier. Doing physics before it would require a month in sprig semester. Yes, I think you will be okay if you work hard with the prep course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
questforstarfish Posted October 20, 2013 Report Share Posted October 20, 2013 Physics is my weak point as well. I've never even taken it in high school, let alone uni! What I did was buy the EK 1000 Questions in Physics, then hire a tutor who I saw for 4 hours a week. I answered all of the questions I could do on my own, and then everything else I didn't understand (a huge chunk of it) I would bring to my tutor and we would work through it. It was kind of expensive and time-consuming, but no more than a uni physics course would have been and this was better because it was specialized to MCAT content. Helped me a LOT!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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